Aeroplane



G. HANSEN AND E.. SCHMIT.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED NOVl 8, 1920.

Patented Sept. 19,*1922.A

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G. HANSEN AND E. SCHMIT.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov s, I920.

Patented Sept. 19, 1922.

G. HANSEN AND E. SCHMIT.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV;8,1920.

Patented Sept. 19, 1922.

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ear Affe/fre Patented Sept. 19, 1era miragev ,"rEN oFfPlc GEORGE HANSEN AND-EMIL SCHMIT, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINQIS.

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Application led November 8, 1920. Serial No. 422,536.

. vision of a new and improved arrangement of parts by which a safer and more effective 1 operation may be effected and by which the control and operation of the driving means propriate securing and bracing means.

maybe rendered easier and more satisfac-Y tory'.

Other objects will ap-pear hereinafter.

The'invention consists in the combina-- tions and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying vdrawings forming a pa'rtbf this specication, and in which, v

v Fi 1 is a front view of an aeroplane, part y broken away, embodying our improvements,

` Fig. 2 is a @central horizontal section through the mechanism by which the main propeller isconnected to the motor,

'F ig. 3 is a central horizontal section through the mechanismby which the drive shaft for a plurality of auxiliary propellers is connected to the motor, and

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a portion of the lower plane.

V'Referring to the drawings, 10 and 1l in` dicate two superposed planes of any approved construction mounted inspaced relation to each other by the use of any ap; motor 12 of any approved type is secured rigidly in position upon the frame-Work comprising the planes 10 and 11, the motor being secured in position by the use of any approved means not shown. A propeller 13 of an approved type is mounted by .means hereinafter described upon the front end of the drive shaft 14 of the motor. 12.

The means for mounting the propeller 13 in position comprises a clutch member 15 to which the blades of the propeller are fixedly attached, the member '-15 being revolubly mounted upon the front end portion of the shaft 14, and being held in position thereon by means of a nut 16. A co-operati'ng clutch member 17 is slidably mounted upon the shaft 14 in rear of the clutch member 15, feathers or splines 18 being provided for causing the clutch member- 17 to rotate with the shaft 14 while at the same time permitting movement of the clutch member longitudinally of the shaft. As will-be readily understood, `when the clutch members 15 and 17 are brought into operative engage ment, the propeller'l3 will be caused to revolve with the shaft 14, the shaft 14 being adapted to run freely with respect to the propeller when the clutch members are thrown out of operative engagement.

Means is provided for moving the clutch member 17 into" and out of operative engagement with the clutch member 15. This means comprises, in the construction shown, a sleeve 19 formed integrally with the clutch member 17. v A plate 20 is 'fixedly mounted upon the sleeve 19 at its forward end portion, and a collar 21 is mounted on the shaft 14 in rear of the sleeve 19, being caused to rotate with the shaft through the medium of the feathers 18.. Antifriction devices 22 of any approved type are interposed between the collar 21 and the motor 12 to receive the thrust longitudinally of the shaft of a heavy coiled spring 23 interposed between the collar 21 and the plate 20. As willbe readily f appreciated, the spring 23 serves normallyr to hold the clutch member 17 in engagement With'the clutch member 15 forcausing the propeller 1 3 lto vrotate with the shaft 14.

Means is provided for withdrawing the ment with the'clutch member `15 againstr the prises a plate 24 interposed between the vplate 20 and the4 body of the clutch member 17, three sets of antifriction devices 25 of any approved type being interposed between theclutch member 17 from operative engage-.JMS

laction of the spring 23. This means commember 17 -longitudinally of the lsha-ft.

Cables 26 and 27 are connected to the plate 24 at oppositesides thereof for moving such v plate for throwing the clutch .members out of operativeengagement, such cables leading, to a convenient pointy with respect to the drivers seat. By the use of the cables 26 and 27, the clutch member 17 is adapted to be held out of engagement with the clutch member 15 when the motor 12 is to be started in operation, the driver being enabled to let the clutch 17 into engagement for starting the propeller 13 after the engine is found to be running smoothly. ForA cranking the engine 12, a pin 28 is mounted upon the front end of the shaft 14 for engagement by a suitable handle for turning the shaft for the operation o-f starting the engine.

ln addition to the propeller 13 for driving the planes 10 and 11 forward in an edgewise direction, we have provided auxiliary propellers mounted upon axes extending substantially at right angles with respect to the planes 10 and 11. ln the construction shown, we have provided four such auxiliary propellers which are indicated by the reference numerals 29, 30, 31 and 32. As is best shown in Fig. 1 the auxiliary propellers are arranged in pairs, at opposite sides of the motor 12, one of the propellers of each pair being superposed above the other. In the construction as illustrated, clutch means is interposed between the drive shaft 14 and the auxiliary propellers whereby the propellers may be thrown into use or may be permitted to stand idle during the progress of the aeroplane.

ln the construction shown, the auxiliary propellers are driven by means of a transversely extending shaft 33 which is releasably connected with the drive shaft 14 .as will be hereinafter described. At each end, the shaft 33 is provided with a bevel gear 34 which meshes with a bevel gear 35 fixedly mounted upon a vertically disposed shaft 36, the shafts 36 and 33 being held in suitable operative relation by means of brackets 37 at opposite ends of the shaft 33. Idler gears 38 are revolubly mounted upon the shafts 36 above the gears 34 for assisting in holding the gears 34 in proper mesh with the gears 35. The arrangement is such that upon the rotation of the shaft 33 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, the auxiliary propellers are driven in the direction for causing an upward pull upon the shafts 36 and hence upon the aeroplane as a whole.

For rendering the auxiliary propellers more effective in their position in vertical alignment with the planes 10 and 11, we

have provided for opening a vertical air passage through the planes 10 and 11 atljacent to such auxiliary propellers. This result is effected by the provision of slidably mounted panels 39 and 4() forming the portions of the planes 10 and 11 adjacent to the auxiliary propellers. As is best shown in Fig. 4, the panels 39 and 40 are mounted between grooved frame bars 41 whereby they are adapted to be moved iaaaaea laterally with respect to each other, springs 42 being employed for returning the panels to normal position as shown in Fig. 4 when the panels are released for permitting such movement. The means provided for moving the panels 39 and 40 away from each other comprises a flexible cable 43 connecting the panels and extending about an idler pulley 44 carried by the planes at one side of the panels as is clearly shown in Fig. 4. As will be readily appreciated, when the inside anel 39 is moved toward the middle of the p ane (toward theleft in Fig. 4) by the use of a cable 45, the panel 40 will at the same time be moved outwardly (toward the right in said Fig. 4). The cables 45 extend to convenient position with respect to the -position ofv the driver so as to be actuated at any time when it is desired to use the auxiliary propellers tol the best advantage.

The clutch means for connecting the shaft 33 with the motor shaft 14 is shown in Fig. 3, and comprises a clutch member 46 ixedly mounted upon the motor shaft 14, with antifriction devices 47 of a suitable type interposed between the clutch member and the motor 12. Revolubly mounted upon the shaft 14 in rear of the clutch member 46 is a sleeve 48 the rear end of which is suported in position by antifriction devices 49 interposed between the sleeve and a collar 50 mounted on the rear end portion of the shaft 14, a nut 51 being vemployed for holding the collar 50 against withdrawal. The rear end portion of the sleeve 48 is provided with a worm 52 which meshes with a worm gear 53 fixedly mounted upon the shaft 33 as is best shown in Fig. 1. rl`he sleeve 48 is operatively connected with lthe shaft 14 by means of a clutch member 54 which is slidably mounted upon the sleeve 48 adjacent to the clutch member 46, being held by means of feathers or splines 55 against rotary movement with respect to said sleeve 48. As will be readily understood, when 110 the clutch member 54 is moved forward into operative engagement with the clutch member 46, the clutch member 54 and the sleeve 48 will be caused to rotate with the shaft 14, serving thus to drive the shaft 33 in the 115 direction indicated by: the arrow thereon in Fi 3.

leans is provided for controlling the position of the clutch member 54 upon the sleeve 48. rlhis means comprises a collar 120 56 which is mounted upon the sleeve 48 and is caused to rotate therewith through the medium of the feathers 55. rl`he collar 56 is held against rearward movement with respect to the sleeve 48 by means of a plate 125 57 carried by the sleeve, antifriction devices 58 of any approved type being interposed between the plate 57 and the collar 56. A plate 59 is ixedly mounted upon a sleeve 60 formed integrally with theclutch B80 p Leases-i Y 'i4 in operative engagement with the clutch member 46. The clutch member 54 is adapted to be moved backwardly out of operative .and the adjacent moving parts.

engagement with the clutch member 46 by means of a plate 62 mounted between the' plate 59 and the body of the clutch member 54, cables 63 and 64 being connected with the plate 62 at opposite sides thereof for moving the clutch member 54 from the position of the driver. Three sets of antifriction devices 65 of any approved type are interposed between the stationary plate 62 As will be appreciated, the driver is enabled to hold the clutch members 54 and 46 out of opera- .tive fngagement through the use of the cables 63 and 64 until the motor has been started and is running smoothly. The driver is also enabled by the use of these cables to throw the auxiliary propellers into or out -of operation at any time as he may desire, dependingupon iying conditions and upon the type of operations in which the aeroplane is engaged.

By the use of our improved construction, an aviator is enabled to start his engine and to take the air without the -co-operation of an assistant. Under many circumstances, particularly in cross country dying and for use in operations in warfare, this is avery important feature. By the use of our invention, the ability of an aeroplane to rise with a heavy load is very greatly increased; the problem of remaining in the air at or near a fixed point is greatlysimplified and the possibility of landing at a certain prescribed point or within a limited area is greatly enhanced. f

While we have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying our invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the' spirit ofthe invention. We, therefore, dovnot wish to be limited to the precise details of the construction set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. An aeroplane comprising a plane, a motor carried by said plane, a propeller mov- I- ably mounted on the drive shaft of said motor` a clutch member carried by said propeller, a cooperatin clutch member having an integral sleeve f bathered on said motor shaft, a collar revolubly mounted on said motor shaft adjacent to said motor, antifriction bearings between said-collar and said motor, a spring interposed between said collar and said second named clutch member member provided with cables revolubly mounted on said second clutch member for moving said clutch longitudinally of the shaft into and out of operative engagement with said first named clutch member, and antifriction bearings interposed between-said operating member and saidsecond clutch member, substantially as described.

2. An aeroplane comprising a plane, a motor carried thereby, a propeller for driving the plane forward in, an edgewise direction, a laterally extending shaft, a clutch member J'ixedly mounted on lthe drive shaft of said motor, a second clutch member revolubly mounted with respect to said drive shaft and adapted to be thrown into operative engagement with said first namedclutch mem- I'ber, worm gearing connecting said clutch member with said laterally extending shaft,l additional propellers revolubly mounted on .axes substantially at right angles with said revolubly mounted on said drive shaft, antifriction thrust bearings carried by saidshaft adapted to hold said sleeve against longitudinal movement away from sald clutch member, a second clutch 'member feathered on said sleeve, a member mounted on said second clutch member with antifriction bearings and provided with cables for moving said 'second clutch member into and out of operative engagement with said first named clutch member, spring means surrounding said sleeve adapted normally to hold said second clutchmember yieldingly in operative engagement with saidI first named clutch member, antifriction thrust bearings interposedI betweensaid lspring means and said sleeve, operative driving connections between said sleeve and said laterally extending shaft, additional propellers revolubly mounted 4on axes substantially at right angles with said plane at opposite sides of the motor, and operative connections between said additional propellers and said shaft for ldriving said propellers, substantially as described;

.4. An aeroplane comprisin a plane, a motor carried thereby; a prope ler for driving the plane forward in an edgewise direction, a pair of propellers mounted in vertical alinement with said plane on an axis at substantially right angles thereto, releasable t ea said plane between said pair of propellers for rendering' said pair of propellers effective when in use, and spring means for automatically closing said panels, substantially as described. 5. An aeroplane comprising a plane having a portion thereof in the form of divergently sliding panels by the movement of which a vertical air passage can be provided through -the plane, a motor carried by the plane, propellers both above and below said plane' in vertical alignment therewith on axes at substantially right angles to the plane, releasable' driving connections lbetween said propellers and said motor, spring means to automatically close said panels, means for sliding said panels simultaneously when said propellers are thrown into -operation, and an additional propeller for drivingthe plane forward in an edge-wise direction, substantially as described. 6. An aeroplane comprising a plurality of superposed planes havin adjustable panels by the movement of w ich vertical air passages can be provided through the planes, amotor carried by the planes, a propeller for driving the planes forward in an edge-wise directlon, additional --propellers revolubly mounted in vertical alignment with the'panels in said planes above and below the same on axes at substantially right angles thereto, releasable driving' connections between said additional propellers and said motor, and means for adjusting said panels when said additional propellers are thrown into operation, substantially as described.

7. An aeroplane comprising a plurality of N ed in vertical alignmentwith the panels in said planes above and below the same, on v shafts at substantially' right angles thereto, a laterally extendin shaft, a worm drive and releasable clutch etween said motor and said laterally extending shaft, ear connections between the ends of said ateral shaft and said additional propeller shafts, spring' means for normally closing said panels, and meansfor adjusting said panels when said additional propellersare thrown into operation, substantlally asdescribed.

lin testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE HANSEN. EMIL SCHMJIT.

Witnesses:

JOSHUA E. El. Pofrrs, WILLIAM El. Dr. B Usn. 

